Protecting the Capital's Heritage: A City Rebuilding Its Foundations Under the Threat of Conflict.

Lesia Danylenko proudly presented her newly installed front door. The restoration team had playfully nicknamed its graceful transom window the “croissant”, a whimsical nod to its curved shape. “Personally, I believe it’s more of a peafowl,” she remarked, admiring its tree limb-inspired features. The refurbishment initiative at one of Kyiv’s early 20th-century art nouveau houses was supported by residents, who celebrated with two lively pavement parties.

It was also an expression of defiance towards an invading force, she clarified: “Our aim is to live like everyday people regardless of the war. It’s about shaping our life in the best possible way. We have no fear of remaining in Ukraine. I could have left, moving away to a foreign land. On the contrary, I’m here. The new entrance shows our dedication to our homeland.”

“We strive to live like normal people despite the war. It’s about arranging our life in the optimal way.”

Preserving Kyiv’s built legacy seems strange at a moment when aerial assaults regularly target the capital, resulting in death and destruction. Since the onset of the current year, aerial raids have been dramatically stepped up. After each attack, workers cover blown-out windows with plywood and attempt, where possible, to salvage residential buildings.

Among the Conflict, a Battle for Identity

Amid the bombs, a band of activists has been attempting to preserve the city’s decaying mansions, built in a whimsical style known as Ukrainian modernism. Danylenko’s house is in the downtown Shevchenkivskyi district. It was built in 1906 and was initially the home of a affluent fur dealer. Its exterior is adorned with horse chestnut leaves and fine camomile flowers.

“These structures stand as symbols of Kyiv. These properties are uncommon today,” Danylenko noted. The residence was designed by an architect of Central European origin. Several other buildings close by showcase comparable art nouveau elements, including asymmetry – with a pointed turret on one side and a turret on the other. One beloved house in the area displays two sullen white stucco cats, as well as owls, masks and a devil.

Several Threats to Heritage

But military aggression is only one threat. Preservation campaigners say they face unscrupulous developers who raze protected buildings, corrupt officials and a political leadership indifferent or resistant to the city’s rich architectural history. The severe winter climate presents another challenge.

“Kyiv is a city where money wins. We lack substantive political will to save our heritage,” said Dmytro Perov, an activist. He alleged the city’s leadership was closely associated with many of the developers who bulldoze important houses. Perov further alleged that the concept for the capital is reminiscent of a different time. The mayor denies these claims, stating they come from political rivals.

Perov said many of the community-oriented activists who once championed older properties were now fighting on the frontline or had been lost. The lengthy conflict meant that the entire society was facing monetary strain, he added, including those in the legal system who curiously ruled in favour of questionable new-build schemes. “The longer this persists the more we see decline of our society and public institutions,” he contended.

Destruction and Neglect

One egregious location of loss is in the historic Podil neighbourhood. The street was the site of classical 19th-century houses. A developer who purchased the plot had pledged to preserve its attractive brick facade. In the immediate aftermath of the full-scale invasion, heavy machinery tore it down. Recently, a crane prepared foundations for a new commercial complex, monitored by a unfriendly security guard.

Anatolii Pohorily, a heritage supporter, said there was little optimism for the remaining blue-green houses on the site. Sometimes developers demolished old properties while stating they were doing “historical excavation”, he said. A former political system also caused immense damage on the capital, redesigning its central boulevard after the second world war so it could facilitate military vehicles.

Continuing the Work

One of Kyiv’s most notable champions of historic buildings, a heritage expert, was killed in 2022 while fighting in a eastern city. His colleague Nelli Chudna said she and other volunteers were continuing his important preservation work. There were at one time 3,500 masonry mansions in Kyiv, many constructed for the city’s wealthy business magnates. Only 80 of their original doors are still in existence, she said.

“It was not foreign rockets that got rid of them. It was us,” she said with regret. “The war could last another 20 years. If we fail to protect architecture now little will be left,” she continued. Chudna recently helped to restore a unique vine-clad house built in 1910, which acts as the headquarters of her cultural organization and also serves as a film set and museum. The property has a new crimson entrance and authentic railings; inside is a historic washroom and antique mirrors.

“The war could last another 20 years. If we neglect architecture now nothing will be left.”

The building’s tenant, artist Yurii Pikul, described his home as “incredibly atmospheric and a little bit cold”. Why do many residents not cherish the past? “Regrettably they lack education and taste. It’s all about business. We are trying as a country to integrate with the west. But we are still a way off from such cultural awareness,” he said. Soviet-era ways of thinking persisted, with people unwilling to take personal responsibility for their urban environment, he added.

Hope in Restoration

Some buildings are collapsing because of official neglect. Chudna pointed to a once-magical villa tucked away behind a modern hospital. Its roof had caved in; pigeons made their home among its broken windows; refuse lay under a fairytale tower. “Frequently we lose the battle,” she admitted. “Preservation work is a coping mechanism for us. We are striving to save all this past and beauty.”

In the face of destruction and commercial interests, these citizens continue their work, one building at a time, believing that to preserve a city’s heart, you must first cherish its history.